Creeping traction



Oct. 10, 1933. FYKSE r 1,929,416

CREEPING TRACTION Filed Sept. 11, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 M/kfiCl/L, Els-e l/arry 5 5 IINVENY ()RS A TTORNEYS.

Oct. 10, 1933. M L. FYKSE r AL CREEPING TRACTION Filed Sept. 11, 1930 3Sheets-Sheet 3 M) b l/LF 112,3; EB INVENTORS 31 .7%; W d/fin dI/MML ATTORNEYS.

Patented Oct. 10, 1933 PATENT oFFIC CREEPING TRACTION Mitchell L.Fykse,South Milwaukee, and Harry E. Bauer,

Milwaukee, Wis.,

assignors 'to',

Bucyrus-Erie Company; South Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of DelawareApplication September 11, 19 30 Serial No. 481,164

6 Claims. 01. 212 45) Our invention relates to new and usefulimprovements in creeping traction.

Our principal object is to provide a creepingtraction mounting forexcavators, cranes and the like,which shall possess in operation a basewider than railroad clearance, and yet may easily be reduced in width towithin railroad clearance for shipment.

It has been proposed in the past to solve this 0 problem by building thetraction-device so that its wheels will fall just within railroadclearance, and its treads will extend beyond railroad clearance. Then,shipping, the treads are removed, and the wheels are run onto specialrails on a flat car.

But amere extension'of the treads beyond the wheels, while keeping thewheels within railroad clearance, does not sufficiently extend thestability.

Accordingly it is our object to extend the effective stability base ofthe machine still further.

Further objects are todevelop anovel trac tion link, and to develop anovel wheel arrangement. 7 x

In addition to our principal object, we have worked out a number ofnovel and useful details,

which will be readily evident: as the description progresses.

Our invention consists in the novel parts, and in the combinations andarrangements thereof, which are defined in the appended claims; and ofwhich one embodiment is exemplified in the accompanying drawings, whichare hereinafter particularly described and explained- Throughout thedescription, the same reference number is applied to the same member orto similar members. 1

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that: 'Figure 1 showsinou'tline an excavator, as loaded according to our method, fortransportation. V-r

Figure 2 is a plan view, taken from below, showing details of ourcreeping traction mechanism.

Figure 3 is a vertical section, taken along the line 3--3 of Figure 2,showing our auxiliary roller and its associated shaft, with the treadbelt disposed around it. I I 1 Beginning at Figure 1, it will be seenthat 10 is a railroad track, upon which are stationed a flat car, -A,intended for the excavator proper, and a second flat car, B, upon whichthe accessories are to be placed. A r

Car A has securely fastened to its upper. surface a pair of rails, 11,spaced'apart as hereinafter determined, upon which the excavator 12 isto be loaded in the manner hereinafter described.

We have also provided a ramp 13, withrails l4 securely fastenedhto itsupper surface, the rails being spacedapart thesame distance as the rails11 on car A, so that, when theramp'is positioned, the upper end ofrails" 14 .-may abut the ends of rails 11. In the preferredform, the

ramphas a steeper slope at the ground engaging end, the slope at the carengaging end being small enough that the excavator 12 may remainposition shown. 5'

The, upper portion22 of the excavatorlli-is capable of being revolvedabout the pintlecenter P on the base 15, and carries a deck 23, for theplacing of the usual actuating machinery, such as. the winch-drum 24,for actuating the hoist cable (not shown) which passes to-a sheave atthe, point of the boom 25. The boom is shown as already detached, andlaid upon the car, 13..

The onlyrother appliance carriedby the deck with which our invention isconcernedgis. the A-frame 26, which is madecollapsible in order todiminish the head-room required in shipping. 3Q Member 27 of the A-frameis pivoted at 28 to the support of the winch-drum 24, and to, its

other end 29 is pivoted the member 30. The

lower .end of- 30 is fastened to a yoke-shaped member 31, byaremovablepin 32. The A- 99 frame is collapsed by removing pin 32, anddisposing the members as shown by the dotted lines, the member 27 beinglaid in the yoke of mem ber 31. Y

Turning now-to Figure 2, we have shown the side frames 16 as carrying onshafts the driving tumbler 17,'idler tumbler 18, and rollers 19, 20, 21.Power is conveyed from the engine (not shown) to the driving tumbler 17,by a succession of gears, 33, 34, 3 5. 1 j

The driving tumbler 17 is provided with laterally projecting lugs 36,for driving engagement with the tread belt links, 37. I

Each, tread-belt link 37 is provided with a relatively broad tread, orground-engaging, surface, 19 38;; Its upper surface has, centrallydisposed;a relatively narrow, flat, wheel-engaging surface, 39. *At eachside of this surface 39 is an upstanding flange 40, having its centralpart cut away for the extrusion of dirt, these flanges being H fordriving cooperation with the laterally projecting lugs 36 on the drivingtumbler 17. The lugs 36 on the driving tumbler 1'7 and the flanges 40are relatively so placed that, when the treadbelt curves about thetumbler, lugs 36 fall between the flanges 40 of successive links. Theabove-enumerated features of the tread-belt links are more particularlydescribed in copending application, Serial No. 299,071 of Snyder. Inaddition to these features, our link has, on each side of the centralwheel-engaging surface, and spaced apart therefrom, a flat, auxiliaryrunway 41, whose purpose will be later explained.

The load-supporting rollers, 19, 20, 21, and the idling tumbler 18, aredisposed to run over the same narrow wheel-engaging channel 39 in whichthe driving tumbler runs. 7

As shown on Figures 2 and 3, the lower, inner edge of each side frame16, has along its length a heavy flange 42, which is provided, on itsupper surface, with a groove 43, into. which a downwardly projectingflange. 44 on the base 15, is

stepped.v A groove 45 extends along the lower when the excavator is setupon the ramp or upon carpA, the grooves 45 will'flt over the rails 11or v, 14 respectively.

Turning now to'Figure 3, it is. seen that the central roller'2'0, ismounted on a hollow shaft 46, whichshaft is secured by bolt 47 to theside frame 16. The roller 20 is rotatably secured on the outer-end ofthe shaft 46, by a ring-shaped retaining nut 48.

- "Removablyinserted' in hollow shaft 46, is an auxiliary roller. shaft49, which is secured to shaft 46 by a bolt 50, and which projects beyondthe retaining nut 48 a distance sufficient to furnish-a bearing for anauxiliary roller 51, rotatably mounted thereon and adapted to run on theauxiliary wheel-engaging surface 41 of the links 37.

Auxiliary'roller 51 is rotatably secured on auxiliary. shaft 49 .by aretaining nut 52.

I It is to be noted that this auxiliary roller 51 serves as'a jack-armand thus greatly increases the lateral stability of the machine overthat of the narrower machines which heretofore have been limited by thenarrowness of railroad cleara'nces." It is to be further noted that thisauxiliary roller 51 is located exactly opposite the pintle-center P,where the radial distance to the rollsence of any auxiliary rollerbetween roller 20 and the main base 15 leaves thetrack laterallyflexible in one direction at this point; thus sacrificing the veryminimum of lateral flexibility for the sake of attaining an increasedlateral stability over that permitted by railroad clearances.

Our invention contemplates the possibility of making an excavator ofsuch large size that, when completely assembled, it will not be withinrailroad clearances; yet, when only a very few of its members aredismounted, leaving the excavator still capable of locomotion under itsown power,

the machine can then be shipped by rail, without further disassembling.

For shipping purposes, we propose to remove the tread-belt 37, retainingnut 52, auxiliary r0ll,

er 51, bolt 50, auxiliary roller shaft 49, the dipper and handle (notshown), and the boom 25. When pin 32 is withdrawn from the'yoke-shapedmember 31 of the A-frame, and the A-frame is collapsed into the positionshown in Figure l by dotted lines, the machine is ready for shipment.

The method of loading the excavator onto flat cars, and the exclusivefeatures of our excavator which permit such loading, will be covered ina divisional of this application.

Having now described and illustrated one form of our invention, we wishit to be understood that our invention is not to be limited to thespecific form or arrangement of parts hereinbeengaging surface, two rowsofupstanding wheelguiding flanges, one. row thereof being on each sideof said wheel-engaging surface, and a flat auxiliary wheel-engagingsurface disposed to one side of, and further from the. pintle-ccenterthan, the normal wheel-engaging surface; a driving tumbler, disposedbetween said flanges, and having lateral lugs disposed for drivingengage.- ment between the flanges of successive links; load-supportingwheels, disposed between said flanges;'and a removable. auxiliaryload-supporting'jack-arm wheel and assOciatedshaft, said wheel beinglocated.- adjacent a line. drawn laterally through the pintleecenter,and: bein posed to run on the auxiliary wheel-engaging surfaces; all theparts of said excavator, or the E like, being within railroad clearance,except the tread belt and the auxiliary wheel and its associated shaft,which extend beyond railroad clearance.

2, In an excavator, or the like, mounted on creeping traction-thecombination. of: a base; an upperportion, capable of revolving out apintleecenter on the base; andv a, creeping traction unit on each side.ofxthe. base, SHDDOBQingit; each such unit comprising: a series, ofconnected links, each link having a. narrowifietcentra yrdismsedwheel-engaging surface, and, a flat auxiliary wheel-engaging surfacedisposed to onesjde of,

and furtherfrom the. pintle-jcenter than, the nprmal wheel-engagingsurfac drivin wumh er and load-supporting wheels, all disposed to run onsaid central. surfaces; and a removable auxiliary load-supportingjack-arm wheel and associated shaft, saidtwheelbeing, located adjacent aline drawn laterally through the pintle-center, and being disposed.torun on, the auxiliarywheel engaging surfaces; all the parts of saidexcavator,

or the like, being. within a railrqadclearance,except the tread beltandthe auxiliary wheel and its associated shaft, which extend beyond, mlroad, clearance.

3. In an excavator, or; the like, mounted on cr pi g ac io he QQ bi eQn' Q a an. uppe t o capab e, Q i Eel Owing. b ut a p ntle-ce er n. he.base; ends c in t e tion unit on each side of the base, supporting it;each such unit comprising: a series of connected links, each link havinga relatively broad tread surface, a narrow flat centrally-disposedwheelengaging surface, two rows of upstanding wheelguiding flanges,onerow thereof being on each side of said wheel-engaging surface, and aflat auxiliary wheel-engaging surface disposed to one side of, andfurther from the pintle-center than, the normal wheel-engaging surface;a driving tumbler, disposed between said flanges, and having laterallugs disposed for driving engagement between the flanges of successivelinks; load-supporting wheels, disposed between said flanges; and aremovable auxiliary load-supporting jack-arm wheel and associated shaft,said wheel being located adjacent a line drawn laterally through thepintle-center, and being disposed to run on the auxiliary wheel-engagingsurfaces.

4; In an excavator, or the like, mounted on creeping traction, thecombination of a base; an upper portion, capable of revolving about apintle-center on-the base; and a creeping traction unit on each side ofthe base, supporting it; each such unit comprising: a series ofconnected links, each link having a relatively broad tread surface, anarrow fiat centrally-disposed.

wheel-engaging surface, and a flat auxiliary wheel-engaging surfacedisposed to one side of, and further from the pintle-center than, thenormal wheel-engaging surface; a driving tumbler and load-supportingwheels, all disposed to run on said central surfaces; and a removableauxiliary load-supporting jack-arm wheel and associated shaft, saidwheel being locatedadjacent a line drawn laterally through thepintelcenter, and being disposed to run on the auxiliary wheel-engagingsurfaces.

5. In an excavator, or the like, mounted on creeping traction, thecombination of: a base; an upper portion, capable of revolving about apintlecenter on the base; and a creeping traction unit on each side ofthe base, supporting it; each such unit comprising: a series ofconnected links, each link having a relatively broad tread surface, anarrow flat centrally-disposed wheel-engaging surface, two rows ofupstanding wheel-guiding flanges, one row thereof being on each side ofsaid wheel-engaging surface, and a flat auxiliary wheel-engaging surfacedisposed to one side of, and further from the pintle-center than, the

normal wheel-engaging surface; a driving tumbler, disposed between saidflanges, andhaving lateral lugs disposed for driving engagement betweenthe flanges of successive links; load-supporting wheels, disposedbetween said flanges; and a removable auxiliary load-supporting jackarmwheel and associated shaft, said wheel being located adjacent a linedrawn laterally through the pintlecenter, and being disposed to run on ptween the centrally disposed wheel-engaging surface and the base, norremote from the'lateral line above referred to.

6. In an excavator, or the like, ,mounted on creeping traction, thecombination of z a base; an upper portion, capable of revolving about apintle-center on the base; and a creeping traction unit on each side ofthe base, supporting it ;7 each such unit comprising: a series ofconnected links, each link having a relatively broad tread surface, anarrow fiat centrally-disposed wheelengaging surface, two rows ofupstanding wheelguiding flanges, one row thereof being on each side ofsaid wheel-engaging surface, and a flat auxiliary wheel-engaging surfacedisposed to one side of, and further from the pintle-center than, thenormal wheel-engaging surface; a driving tumbler, disposed between saidflanges, and having laterallugs disposed for driving engagementbetweenthe flanges of successive links; loadsupporting wheels, disposedbetween said flanges; and'a removable auxiliary load-supporting jackarmwheel and associated shaft, said wheel being located adjacent a linedrawn laterally through the pintle-center, and being disposed to run onthe auxiliary wheel-engagingsurfaces; all the parts of said excavator,or the like, being within railroad clearance, except the tread belt andthe auxiliary wheel and its associated shaft, which extend beyondrailroad clearance; the maximum of lateral link flexibility beingmaintained, consistent with jack-arm effect where needed, by having noauxiliary load supporting wheels remote from the lateral line above re-5

